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Political Job Hunt

January 13, 2016 at 9:07 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

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Bonus Trump Quote of the Day

January 13, 2016 at 8:47 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 9 Comments

“Well, considering I’m leading in the polls by a lot, I wouldn’t say she’s off to a good start.”

— Donald Trump, quoted by Inside Edition, when asked if Gov. Nikki Haley wants to be considered a potential running mate.

Cruz Did Not Disclose Loan from Goldman Sachs

January 13, 2016 at 7:25 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 35 Comments

New York Times: “As Ted Cruz tells it, the story of how he financed his upstart campaign for the United States Senate four years ago is an endearing example of loyalty and shared sacrifice between a married couple… But the couple’s decision to pump more than $1 million into Mr. Cruz’s successful Tea Party-darling Senate bid in Texas was made easier by a large loan from Goldman Sachs, where Mrs. Cruz works. That loan was not disclosed in campaign finance reports.”

“Other campaigns have been investigated and fined for failing to make such disclosures, which are intended to inform voters and prevent candidates from receiving special treatment from lenders. There is no evidence that the Cruzes got a break on their loans.”

Haley Defends Going After Trump

January 13, 2016 at 6:28 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 41 Comments

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said that Donald Trump’s call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigration to the country is what compelled her to speak out in her State of the Union rebuttal last night.

Said Haley: “We’ve never in the history of this country passed any laws or done anything based on race or religion. Let’s not start that now.”

McConnell Says Obama Is ‘Smart’ But ‘a Little Preachy’

January 13, 2016 at 6:08 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 24 Comments

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told Yahoo News that he disputes President Obama’s diagnosis of American politics as toxic and tribal and sharply disagrees with the president’s proposed cures.

Reflecting on nearly eight years of working with Obama, McConnell also described him as “a very smart guy” but “a little preachy.”

Would You Bet on Trump?

January 13, 2016 at 5:08 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 2 Comments

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

The U.K. betting market Betfair now puts the odds at Donald Trump winning the Republican presidential nomination at 34%, while Marco Rubio is at 31% and Ted Cruz at 22%.

PredictWise has Trump and Rubio tied at 33%.

This is the first time that either market has given Trump the best chance of winning since he entered the presidential race last summer. Trump has confounded the pundits for months but now seems to have convinced many that he could win. But is Trump really a smart bet?

The HuffPost Pollster averages find Trump and Ted Cruz locked in a dead heat in Iowa. If Trump wins, he’ll have the momentum he needs to win in New Hampshire where every poll shows him ahead.

That said, I’d still bet against Trump winning in Iowa. According to the New York Times, his ground game in Iowa is a disorganized mess. His paid staffers don’t seem to be able to identify Trump supporters and are encouraging all potential voters to turn out, even those who may ultimately be against him.

Of course, Trump doesn’t need to win in Iowa to win the GOP nomination. He leads the polls in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada and nationally. But he’s also never been in an election with real voters.

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

January 13, 2016 at 4:22 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 17 Comments

“I love the fact that people are shooting at me. You never shoot at someone behind you. They’re either next to you or ahead of you if you’re shooting at them.”

— Gov. Chris Christie, quoted by the New York Times.

Will Elizabeth Warren Endorse Anyone?

January 13, 2016 at 4:08 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 19 Comments

Bloomberg: “With President Obama unlikely to weigh in, Warren is the most important Democratic elected official who has yet to endorse. Her iconic status among the party’s liberal grass roots, and the national fundraising base she commands, would deliver a substantial boost to Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, or Martin O’Malley.”

“Sanders would appear to be the most ideologically compatible choice for Warren, because his populist, anti-Wall Street rhetoric mirrors her own. And indeed, many of her supporters, including the founders of her draft movement, have embraced him. But Warren has been noticeably reluctant to lend her name to Sanders’s presidential campaign, because, her advisers say, she’s determined that Democrats should hold on to the White House after Obama leaves office and is not convinced Sanders could win.”

LePage May Skip State of the State Speech

January 13, 2016 at 4:06 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 14 Comments

Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) indicated that he might break with longstanding custom and deliver his State of the State address by letter rather than giving a speech before the full legislature, the Portland Press Herald reports.

Said LePage: “Why am I going to go up and face people and talk to them in an audience that just a week or two before, they’re trying to impeach me? That’s just silliness. So why don’t we just, I’ll go to work, keep working, I’ll send them a letter and call it a day.”

Christie Fine with 2nd in New Hampshire

January 13, 2016 at 3:31 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 6 Comments

Gov. Chris Christie told Morning Joe that he’s come along way since he was running 9th in the polls.

Said Christie: “If I came in second place in New Hampshire, I think that would be a real good result for us.”

Haley Is Running for Veep

January 13, 2016 at 3:09 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 35 Comments

“Since it was announced earlier this month that Nikki Haley would deliver the official Republican response to the State of the Union, excitable pundits have hyped the speech as a dramatic, made-for-TV “audition” — a chance for South Carolina’s young, telegenic governor to prove her talents, and compete for a coveted spot on the GOP’s presidential ticket,” BuzzFeed reports.

“But while Haley’s performance Tuesday night may have indeed solidified her A-list status in the Republican establishment, the primetime moment was actually the culmination of years of careful — and often quiet — backstage maneuvering by the governor’s team as they worked to position her as a top-tier contender for the vice-presidential nomination.”

Betting Markets See Trump as Favorite

January 13, 2016 at 3:03 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 9 Comments

Donald Trump is the new favorite to win the Republican presidential nomination, according to Betfair, Bloomberg reports.

“The odds on a Trump victory are 15/8, or 34%, putting the billionaire real-estate mogul as favourite in the market for the first time… Previous favorite Marco Rubio widened to 11/5, or 31%, while Ted Cruz is 7/2, 22%.”

PredictWise has Trump and Rubio tied at 33%.

Upset GOP Donors Wonder If They Wasted Their Money

January 13, 2016 at 2:51 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 32 Comments

“Major GOP donors and fundraisers are wondering whether they’re wasting their money on super-PACs,” The Hill reports.

“They say they’re not ready to abandon the super-PACs, but they’re starting to look for ways to make them more effective during a presidential cycle that has challenged conventions about how to spend political donations.”

“The cautionary tale cited by nearly every donor or fundraiser interviewed on or off the record has been Bush. He has fallen in polls despite the more than $50 million already spent on his behalf by the group Right to Rise, which far outraised every other super-PAC with its mid-year haul of $103 million.”

King Says Haley Could Be Face of the GOP

January 13, 2016 at 2:47 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 30 Comments

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) said he didn’t think South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) was a “principled conservative” but thought she’d be an acceptable figurehead for the Republican party, TPM reports.

Said King: “I think she’s beautiful so I’d be happy if she’s the face of the party.”

Trump Quote of the Day

January 13, 2016 at 2:42 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 21 Comments

“He’s living in a fantasy land. I think this man is living in a fantasy land.”

— Donald Trump, quoted by Politico, on President Obama’s State of the Union address.

Trump Remains Dominant In National Poll

January 13, 2016 at 2:36 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 4 Comments

A new Economist/YouGov national survey finds Donald Trump leading the GOP presidential field 2ith 36%, followed by Ted Cruz at 20%, Marco Rubio at 11% and Ben Carson at 6%.

In a three-way race, it’s Trump at 45%, Cruz at 30%, and Rubio at 21%.

Join Today!

January 13, 2016 at 2:30 pm EST By Taegan Goddard

For more than 15 years, Political Wire has been bringing you the most interesting news of the day. Show your support by becoming a member!

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Trump’s Iowa Ground Game Is Disorganized

January 13, 2016 at 2:13 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 5 Comments

New York Times: “Mr. Trump, who Iowa polls show is neck-and-neck with Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, may well win the caucuses, now less than three weeks away. But if he does, it will probably be in spite of his organizing team, which after months of scattershot efforts led by a paid staff of more than a dozen people, still seems amateurish and halting, committing basic organizing errors.”

“Some volunteers in charge of turning out supporters to caucus on Feb. 1 are given lists of all registered Republicans in their precincts to contact, ignoring the large number of independents and Democrats who appear to be leaning toward Mr. Trump. Moreover, the volunteers urge people to caucus regardless of whom they support, which risks turning out voters for Mr. Trump’s rivals.”